In 2010, the Romanian Angel Appeal Foundation launched a 3-year national training and development programme to develop and deliver a model of diagnostic and therapeutic services aimed at promoting social inclusion for children and young people with autism spectrum disorders. The project adopted a number of strategies aimed at developing knowledge and skills among professionals and increasing awareness in political and public spheres: (a) a three-stage training programme designed to increase knowledge of autism spectrum disorders and promote best practice among professionals working in services providing for children with autism spectrum disorders and their families, on a nationwide basis; (b) two online courses for general practitioners and psychiatrists, with content relating to the identification, diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders; (c) a total of 40 counselling and assistance centres for people with autism spectrum disorders were launched in partnership with local authorities; (d) a national strategy for social and professional integration of people with autism spectrum disorders developed through consultation with political, statutory and voluntary sector partners; and (e) a nationwide media campaign to raise awareness of the needs of children and young people with autism spectrum disorders that reached over eight million people. The project provides a transferable model to achieve important improvements in the quantity and quality of services on a national level within a brief time frame.

Aim: Holoprosencephaly (HPE) is the most common brain malformation. A wide spectrum of anatomical variants are characterized by a lack of midline separation of the cerebral hemispheres. The aim of this study was to assess the ultrasound diagnostic criteria for HPE.Material and method: A database of 175 fetuses with central nervous system anomalies identified by ultrasound was collected retrospectively from 2006 to 2016 in this multicenter, retrospective, observational study. Among them 18 cases (10.2%) with HPE were identified.Results: The prevalence of HPE was 2.5:10.000 with the sex distributionmale:female of 1:1.6. Six cases were alobar subtype, 3 were semilobar, 7 were lobar and 2 were middle interhemispheric variant. In the second trimester, we consider that the abnormal fusion of the lateral ventricles and the absence of the cavum septum pellucidum are the most important landmarks for HPE. Facial abnormalities varied considerably.Conclusion: This study illustrates the heterogeneity of HPE with different cerebral and facial appearances.

The global impact of climate change, with the potential to affect agriculture through changes in temperature, rainwater distribution and amount, leads to the need to develop integrated technologies that increase rain use efficiency and support soil and environmental quality, ensuring higher agricultural outputs with lower costs. Soil modeling in interrupted furrows is a very efficient rainwater harvesting system, but has not yet been scientifically assessed for the conditions in Southern Romania as the other soil working systems have been. For this purpose, a soil modeling device consisting of a frame with triangle for coupling to the tractor, wheels for adjusting and limiting the working depth, soil loosening knives, ridge ploughs and furrow compartmenting equipment was compared with the conventional technology for sunflower culture in two localities in Southern Romania: Crânguri in Giurgiu County and Mărculeşti in Calarasi County. The device for soil modeling in interrupted furrows for weeding crops provides a viable option that has positive effects on soil properties and ensures increased crop yields compared to conventional works as well as the opportunity to increase the efficiency of water recovery in agriculture by harvesting rainwater.

Aims:We searched for correlations between ultrasound findings in pregnancies with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) follow-up examinations; MRI was used to confirm and complete the investigation in these difficult cases. In some of them, new elements that ultrasound was not able to fully describe have been also brought. We were especially interested when MRI was superior to ultrasound.Material and methods: This is a retrospective study of 12 pregnancies with congenital diaphragmatic hernia that were diagnosed in two major university clinics of Bucharest, Romania. Ultrasounds and MRI examinations were performed to evaluate pulmonary hypoplasia and correctly asses the herniated organs. We used standard international protocols and guidelines for calculating different parameters. All patients signed an informed consent before being enrolled in the study.Results: We described the herniated organs, dimensions of the hernia and the remaining lung capacity, so that we could correctly evaluate the prognosis. We have also used the lung to head ratio (LHR) in an attempt to better determine the degree of lung hypoplasia.Conclusions: High quality ultrasound followed by an MRI examination helped correctly assess the prognostic, treatment possibilities and total affected lung volume. It not only confirmed the diagnosis, but also offered new information that ultrasound was not able to provide.

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